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U.S. NEWSFriday 2 October 2015
House passes defense bill that Obama threatens to veto
DEB RIECHMANN increase in spending that one of the few bipartisan argued that the bill autho- provide for the country’s
Associated Press President Barack Obama measures in Congress that rizes money for national se- security. ... This is a danger-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The had requested, but he has readily become law for curity amid global threats. ous world, and it is getting
Republican-led House on strenuously opposes the more than a half-century, Rep. Mac Thornberry, the more dangerous by the
Thursday approved a mul- way Congress did it. but Obama’s veto threat Republican chairman of minute.”Rep. Steny Hoyer
tibillion-dollar U.S. defense Lawmakers increased de- jeopardizes the legislation. the House Armed Services the No. 2 Democrat in the
policy bill despite a White fense spending by pad- The dispute is over wheth- Committee, said the bill is House, said using the warf-
House veto threat. ding a separate, war-fight- er Congress should break critical for the troops and ighting account employs a
The vote was 270-156, more ing account with an extra through spending caps for national security. strategy to “sneak around”
than enough to sustain a $38.3 billion. That account when it comes to defense, “This is no time for political the ceilings Congress im-
veto. The $612 billion bill — — for overseas contingen- but adhere to them for do- games,” Thornberry said posed to check spending.
covering new ships, aircraft cy operations — is not sub- mestic agencies. Obama during House debate. “This Hoyer said the special ac-
and pay raises for military ject to spending limits. and his Democratic sup- is the time to come togeth- count is handled on a year-
personnel — authorizes the The defense policy bill is porters say no. Republicans er and pass a bill that helps to-year basis. q
Republican lawmakers criticize likely next leader’s comments
ALAN FRAM cern among Republicans become speaker but con-
Associated Press that Boehner’s expected
WASHINGTON (AP) — successor, Majority Leader sidered his comments un-
House Republicans called Kevin McCarthy, may have
on the chamber’s likely damaged his own party true.
next speaker Thursday to with his remarks.
apologize for crediting the “I think it’s a total mischar- “To discredit the commit-
House Benghazi investiga- acterization of the good
tion panel with wounding work that’s been done tee and its purpose was
Democratic frontrunner on the Benghazi commit-
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s tee,” Rep. Jason Chaffetz, wrong and he should walk
presidential campaign, a Republican, said of Mc-
delivering a rare public re- Carthy’s comments in an back those statements,”
buke to a leading member interview.
of their own party. Chaffetz, chairman of the Chaffetz said.
The unusually open criti- House Oversight and Gov-
cism comes at a tumultu- ernment Reform Commit- The special House com-
ous time for House Repub- tee, said he told McCarthy
licans, who are revamping privately Wednesday that mittee has been investi-
their leadership team fol- he still supported his bid to
gating the 2012 attacks
on U.S. diplomatic facilities
in Benghazi, Libya,
that killed four Americans,
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif. gestures toward including Ambassador
outgoing House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio during a news
conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Chris Stevens.
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Clinton was secretary of
lowing last Friday’s abrupt House Speaker John Boeh- state at the time and is
resignation by Republican ner. They also reflect a con-
scheduled to testify this
month.q
Senators reach deal to reduce prison time for some offenders
S. OHLEMACHER Grassley, the Republican prison population has ex- introduce legislation soon. is supposed to work,” Sen.
M. JALONICK chairman of the Judiciary ploded, in part because of The Senate bill would elimi- Joihn Cornyn, the No. 2 Re-
Associated Press Committee, said in a state- mandatory minimum sen- nate mandatory life sen- publican, said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bi- ment. tences for nonviolent drug tences for three-time, non- The White House hasn’t
partisan group of senators, In the deal struck between offenders. In 1980, the fed- violent offenders. commented on the bill. But
in a rate compromise, un- some of the Senate’s most eral prison population was Violent offenders, sex of- in July, President Barack
veiled legislation on Thurs- conservative and liberal less than 25,000. Today, it is fenders and inmates con- Obama became the first
day that would overhaul members, judges would more than 200,000. victed of terrorism charges president to visit a fed-
the U.S. criminal justice sys- have the discretion to give The package should have would be excluded. Mem- eral prison while in office.
tem, allowing some nonvio- sentences below the man- momentum in the Senate bers of organized crime He called for changes in
lent drug offenders to get datory minimum for nonvio- since it was negotiated by syndicates and major fraud the criminal justice system,
reduced prison sentences lent drug offenders. Some some of the most powerful offenders would also be ex- saying a distinction had to
and giving judges greater current inmates could get senators. But its sponsors ac- cluded. be made between young
discretion in sentencing. their sentences reduced knowledged they weren’t At a news conference people doing “stupid
“This historic reform bill ad- by as much as 25 percent sure if their bipartisan com- Thursday, the senators con- things” and violent crimi-
dresses legitimate over-in- by taking part in rehabilita- promise would be accept- gratulated each other for nals.Among the senators’
carceration concerns while tion programs, if they are able in a more polarized reaching a bipartisan com- goals: Make the sentenc-
targeting violent criminals deemed a low risk to of- House. A House Judiciary promise at a time when ing system more fair, re-
and masterminds in the fend again. Committee spokeswoman such agreements are rare. duce recidivism and con-
drug trade,” Sen. Charles Since 1980, the federal said the panel expects to “This is the way the system tain rising prison costs.q
